Maha Kola Mask, Sri Lanka


In Sri Lanka's cultural theatre called Kolam various actors wearing masks perform exorcism rituals - Sanni Yakuma is the best known one featuring numerous Sanni (disease) demons. At the climax the chief demon called Maha Kola (the terrific or all encompassing one), which usually incorporates miniature representations of the other 18 demons. Occasionally the disease demons are represented in the Daha Ata Sanniya (18 diseases) ritual.


Size: 3400px × 5100px
Photo credit: © Sabena Jane Blackbird / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: apotropaic, art, arts, artwork, asia, asian, ata, background, beliefs, blackbird, ceylon, crafts, craftsmanship, cultural, culture, cut, daha, decorative, demon, demons, devil, disease, diseases, ethnic, exorcism, exorcist, handicraft, handicrafts, hanging, isolated, jane, kola, kolam, lanka, lankan, maha, mask, masks, ritual, rituals, sabena, sanni, sanniya, sinhalese, sri, superstition, tovil, traditional, wall, white, wooden, yakuma